


To Love and to Cherish

by Eggsyobsessed



Series: ABC Medical Series [3]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Characters - Non Canon, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anniversary, Decades Together, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Future Fic, Heart Attacks, Hurt Merlin, Love, M/M, Major Illness, Marriage, Memories Relived Through Wedding Vows, Merwin, Reminiscing, Smut, Surprise Party, emergency surgery, wedding vows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-17
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2020-06-29 23:55:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19841197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eggsyobsessed/pseuds/Eggsyobsessed
Summary: It is Merlin and Eggsy's 25th wedding anniversary, and their children decide to throw them a surprise party. Merlin has had a few bouts of unexplained heartburn, but shrugs it off to poor eating habits and attends the party.They have a grand time and it is everything they could have hoped for and more. But Merlin suffers a major heart attack, one that may end their happily ever after forever.As Eggsy waits for Merlin to come out of surgery, he reminisces their life together through their wedding vows.





	To Love and to Cherish

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the third installment of my medical series, and I really should have worked on one of my other stories, but this one screamed to be written when I woke up. 
> 
> It is sweet, full of love, and a bit sad. As most of these stories tend to be. For those of you who read it, I hope you can see the beauty in the story.

“Do we have to go?” Merlin asked with his bow tie in hand. He stood in front of the mirror and was making failed attempts to tie a knot. “I hate these,” he grumbled.

Eggsy laughed beside him and offered a hand, easily taking over to get the silver fabric in place. “You hate them because your fingers don’t work as well as they used to,” Eggsy reminded him softly, earning him a disgruntled noise from his husband and a glacial stare.

It was impressive how brooding those hazel eyes could be after so many years, but they still sent a shiver up his spine. And, okay, maybe in a different way than they had when he was a recruit.

“There.” Eggsy smoothed a set of palms over Merlin’s white dress shirt; he looked magnificent. “And yes, we have to go,” he answered Merlin’s previous question, as he donned his own royal blue cummerbund, one that matched Merlin’s. “You wouldn’t want to disappoint the kids.”

Merlin murmured something under his breath that Eggsy hadn’t heard, but figured it had to do with silly parties and children wasting their time and money. Because Merlin had only complained about this every day in the last month.

“You better act surprised,” Eggsy warned with a poke to Merlin’s chest.

Their children had been planning this party for a year, and Merlin had figured it out. It was supposed to be a surprise for their 25th year of marriage, and had even coordinated on the day they said I Do. Eggsy thought it was sweet, but Merlin was less enthused. His husband despised surprise parties, as soon as he caught a whiff of party planning Merlin had been all over it.

“Oh, stop being dramatic,” Eggsy rebuffed, as Merlin rubbed his chest uncomfortably. “I only poked you a bit.”

“That’s not it,” Merlin explained as he departed into the adjoined bathroom, and returned chewing something.

Eggsy watched him carefully for a moment, his cheeks a bit flushed but he was in a full tux. “You okay?” he worried.

“Heartburn,” Merlin explained and finished getting ready.

“Been eating a lot of those lately,” Eggsy noted, and styled his grey hair the way he has for decades.

Something Harry had taught him years ago, and couldn’t do for himself anymore. Eggsy hadn’t seen someone more upset about thinning hair, as Harry had been about his own.

Merlin hummed an agreement while donning his brogues and did a final look in the mirror.

“You ready?” Eggsy asked from behind his shoulder, and still had to lean up on his toes to give Merlin’s cheek a kiss.

The distance wasn’t as far now as it once was, and Merlin figured that’s what age did to you. That and the constant position when he’d lean over a computer, it surely did him no favors.

“As ready as I can be,” he finally answered, and turned enough to trap Eggsy’s lips in a delicate kiss. “Come on, before I fake an illness and say we can’t go,” Merlin joked, taking Eggsy’s hand and wandered out of their room.

His husband giving him a disapproving look all the while.

\---

It was a beautiful surprise, no matter that they both knew about it, and Merlin did express some genuine shock to the whole thing.

The private room at the Savoy was decorated in silvers and blues - blue from the color they had used during the wedding, and silver for 25 years. The tables holding intricate centerpieces with silver swirls coming out of each vase, a bouquet of white and blue roses, with a few daisies mixed in, sprouting out.

They were seated at a table that overlooked their guests, and on more than one occasion had to kiss from the clanking of cutlery to glasses.

“Isn’t this too much?” Merlin whispered into Eggsy’s ear.

Eggsy’s answering smile was gorgeous, and just as bright and adoring as it had been the day they got married.

His hand snaked up Merlin’s thigh to weave their fingers together. “No,” Eggsy answered softly, his lips brushing Merlin’s earlobe.

They didn’t have to do much moving, most of their guests coming to them, and a candid photo of them taken with their children was taken with the promise it will be developed as quickly as possible. And modern technology would see that the current Merlin could get it before they left for the night.

Eggsy stood to have a dance with Merlin, offering his hand out with nothing but love and adoration for the person who mirrored his feelings.

“May I have this dance?” he asked, as Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years played in the background.

And it was like taking a step back in time, 25 years ago to be exact.

_“I’d like to bring everyone's attention to the dance floor where Daniel and Gary will share their first dance as husbands.”_

_Eggsy is grinning from ear to ear, and Merlin can’t help but match his excitement, as he takes his husband’s hand to lead them out in the middle of the ballroom._

_Merlin’s palm rested comfortably to the small of Eggsy’s back the other clutched Eggsy’s hand close to his heart, as they moved smoothly around the space._

_Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years played around them._

_It was easy to pretend it was just them, as cameras flashed in their direction, and Merlin could appreciate the desire for some to document such a special moment; he knows he’d like to look back on this day._

_“I will not let anything take away, what’s standing right in front of me. Every breath, every hour, has come to this,” Eggsy crooned, his head pillowed in the crook of Merlin’s neck, a soft kiss pressed there._

_Merlin’s heart expanded, as Eggsy continued the song, and promised to love him for a thousand more years._

When he looked back at Eggsy, he saw the same man but time had aged him and that did nothing to dim the beauty that shone out of Eggsy. His eyes were soft, just twinkling in the lights that hung above and a little wet; Merlin noticed.

And just as that day, so many years ago, Eggsy promised to love him for a thousand more years.

He leaned in for a deep kiss, one that easily left Eggsy a little breathless, he beamed into the affection as their guests were making coupled sounds of cheering and murmurs of awe at witnessing such beauty.

Eggsy was beautiful, Merlin thought to himself.

\---

Everything transitioned smoothly from their dance, to cutting a cake too grand for such an occasion, and easily flowed into mingling.

Eggsy was at the bar, an arm slung lazily around his eldest son’s shoulders, who leaned into the contact.

“Thank you,” he slurred a little, and thought about the 3 martini’s he had and the one the bartender was handing him. “This was everything.” The face of his son, so much the same as his was at 23, was bright and a little flush from the praise.

“It was nothing, Dad,” Lee promised, ducking his head a bit when Eggsy placed a firm kiss to his temple.

So much more than gratitude filled him, he was so proud of the man his son had grown to be and was just as proud of their youngest son, Declan, who stood beside Merlin at a table with their daughter, Rosie, seated there and happily chatting.

It was hard to believe, sometimes, that they had managed three kids and their jobs. They had their two boys via surrogacy and Rosie was their little gift; she was just 3 years old when she’d joined their family.

Eggsy had wanted another child, but each time they had attempted to start the surrogacy process again, he’d be pulled away for a mission. For a year they had believed it wouldn’t happen again, until a specific assignment that left a tiny, malnourished Philippean girl without a family in Kingsman’s custody.

They had housed her for a month before it was determined she didn’t have any family to speak of, or anyone to claim her. Merlin and Eggsy had all of the proper documents filed and legally adopted her as their own.

His chest tightened, as she stood and took Merlin onto the dance floor for a dance, because their girl was becoming a woman. Eggsy prayed she’d be disinterested in their work, much to his shock Lee was one to follow in the Unwin footsteps, and Declan had shown an interest in what Merlin had done for a living.

Eggsy swayed to the melody of The Way You Look Tonight, as Merlin held their daughter close; she was so small in comparison to him.

“What’s got you all dreamy?” Lee bumped his shoulder lightheartedly, and his boy was beaming cheekily, one identical to his own.

“Just happy,” Eggsy answered simply and watched his youngest son approach him; his smile grew.

That was until Eggsy got a good look at Declan’s face. The same features that Merlin carried years ago, was now distorted in a way that didn’t warrant for the occasion, and Eggsy was pulled out of the fuzzy bubble he had been in and could hear screams for help.

“Dad,” Declan repeated several times before he reached Eggsy.

Eggsy didn’t really have time to think, and moved without processing what Declan was saying. It came out in a rush, and he only caught a few words, as someone else shouted out to call 999.

“What the fuck happened?” Eggsy hadn’t realized it came from his mouth, as he crouched beside Merlin’s body.

Which was on the ballroom floor, his face pale, a sheen of sweat covered his forehead, cheeks, every free surface of skin and it was hard to miss the hand clutched over his chest.

\---

They say your life flashes before your eyes as you are on the brink of death, but they don’t say that happens when the one you love might be dying.

He should be comforting his children, who flanked either side of him and he could hear Rosie’s quiet sobs, and he was thankful for his sister who had a hold of his 16 year old. Because he was finding it hard to focus on much outside of the growing pain in his chest, and not the same pain Merlin must have ignored, because it was a heart attack.

That’s what they had told Eggsy, and his husband was currently undergoing emergency triple bypass surgery. As he sat in one of the most uncomfortable chairs he’s ever sat in, Eggsy thought of all of the gorgeous memories he’s had with Merlin.

Their wedding day, one of the first things to come to mind.

_“I take you, Daniel, to be my wedded husband,” Eggsy said, a stupidly bright smile in place as he held the silver band over Merlin’s finger._

_Husband._

_He’d be marrying the love of his life, and it had only taken them a few years to get their shit together, but here they were pledging their love and a promise to stand beside one another for as long as they both shall live._

He played with the band that resided on his left ring finger, and touched the one over his thumb. Eggsy had been given it after they prepped Merlin for surgery; he had cried when it was handed to him in a baggy.

_To have and to hold, from this day forward._

_It was a cool Autumn day, and neither had a mind to move further from the nest they had in bed. Their limbs tangled with one another. Eggsy ran his foot along Merlin’s calf and back down._

_“How long do you think we have before Lee comes barreling in?” Eggsy asked, voice muffled against Merlin’s chest._

_The arms forming a cage around him tightened, and Eggsy wouldn’t complain about their proximity._

_Merlin hummed thoughtfully. It was a deep and rumbly sound that reverberated against Eggsy’s ear. He brought a hand out to ghost it along Merlin’s side and reach around his hip to squeeze Merlin’s arse._

_“Maybe he will decide to play in his room for a bit,” Merlin offered, hopeful._

_Eggsy pressed his lips firmly to Merlin’s sleep warm skin, before coming to rest his cheek against his heart._

_It beat strong and steady beneath his ear. They stayed like that for another 10 minutes before an energetic 3 year old invaded their bed, and they happily folded Lee into the cuddle they had._

_The three held onto each other for the better part of the morning._

“Here.” Lee held a cup of shitty hospital coffee in front of Eggsy’s face.

He took it with a small smile, and whispered his thanks as Lee passed around the rest of the beverages he had bought. It was bitter, a tad too sweet, but it was hot and felt good trailing down his throat. His son settled beside him again. Everyone fell quiet as they pretended to enjoy the drinks, that did little to warm Eggsy’s body, and not focus on the issue at hand but that was hard to do.

Eggsy sighed around the second sip, and leaned back in his seat to stretch out his legs; his back ached. And didn’t say anything when Lee’s head came to rest on his shoulder, and Declan on the other. They were all tired and scared, but he didn’t know how to comfort any of them in this moment.

He didn’t even know how to comfort himself.

_For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer._

_“Wot the fuck do you mean compromised?” Eggsy paced the length of their bed, a hand running through his greying honey-brown hair. “Daniel,” he said, stopping with his hands braced on the mattress._

_“Eggsy, I wish I was taking the piss,” Merlin answered with a sigh, his eyes never leaving the laptop he was working over. “Everyone's accounts have been frozen. We are thinking an insider, a mole,” he spoke quickly, his fingers flying over the keys._

_“We are putting a son through uni, Daniel,” Eggsy seethed. “How the fuck is he supposed to live on campus?” his voice rose a few octaves. “And two other kids at home,” his voice dropped a bit, now almost a whisper._

_He could feel the worry choking him._

_Merlin finally spared him a glance. It was a glacial, cool stare, his hazel eyes boring into Eggsy’s._

_“Ye think I haven’t thought of that?” his tone just a chilling, head tilting in a challenge. “Or thought of how we will make ends meet while everything is frozen? That all of our agents, staff and the like are going to be without money?”_

_Eggsy didn’t answer as Merlin shifted his eyes back to his work; he was right. It wouldn’t be just their home this effected. He was about to ask more, but their door creaked and a small face poked in._

_“Daddy.” Their 9 year old said. Her brown eyes shifted between them, and settled on Eggsy. “I had a bad dream, could you sing to me?”_

_For a moment, Eggsy had forgotten about the problem at hand and focused on his child._

_“Uh, yeah, baby. Give me a sec, okay?” She nodded her head eagerly, which caused her dark brown braids to bounce a bit._

_Eggsy let out a long breath, before he walked around to cup Merlin’s chin and tip it up for a slow, tender kiss - one that left Merlin’s eyes just slits, as Eggsy pulled away._

_“Mordred reports we should be able to secure everything shortly, and open up new accounts for Kingsman. I am trying.” He wrapped an arm around Eggsy’s waist, and held him a little closer._

_“I know,” Eggsy whispered, and closed the small space between them._

_“Go tuck in our lass,” Merlin murmured, and gave Eggsy’s bum a pat._

_He nodded his head softly, and placed a delicate, chaste kiss to Merlin’s lips before leaving to take care of their girl._

In sickness and in health.

“Mr. Unwin?” The Doctor came through the double doors.

Eggsy was up and on his feet, nearly knocking his boys over who had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

“We finished and transferred him to the SICU, he’s very groggy and weak.” The look on the young man’s face had Eggsy’s insides in a knot. “I don’t know how he’ll recover,” he admitted, and Eggsy could swear he looked genuinely apologetic. “But we want to keep a close eye on him, see how he handles recovering.”

“When can I see him?” Eggsy managed, and it was barely audible; his voice hoarse from crying. A lump had formed in his throat, and he couldn’t breathe.

“Soon. I just ask you give us another hour and we will allow visitors in one at a time.” He gave Eggsy’s shoulder a squeeze, and a polite nod to the rest of the family.

Eggsy stood there, not entirely sure he could move or make his feet work. In sickness and in health repeated over and over in his mind; Eggsy had made Merlin a promise and he wasn’t about to fall apart now.

_To love and to cherish._

_“You are the best,” Eggsy groaned into the pillow; his face smashed against it as Merlin worked his hands over his back. “Ugh, God,” Eggsy moaned._

_Merlin hummed in a soothing register, a song often crooned to one of their children when they were under the weather._

_“Not a spring chicken anymore, are ye, my love?” Merlin teased lightly, a laugh leaving his lips as Eggsy bucked up in an attempt to throw him off. “Ye know I love ye,” he whispered close to Eggsy’s ear._

_His breath tickled Eggsy, causing him to turn away and giggle despite the irritation growing in his chest from the accusation._

_“Oi,” he exclaimed, “you trying to imply I ain’t young anymore?” he asked irritably, but is voice lacked all heat. His grin widened when Merlin’s lips pressed softly behind his ear, and nipped playfully at his earlobe._

_“I wouldn’t even dream of it,” Merlin breathed against his neck. “Ye are perfect,” he assured._

_A series of feather-light kisses trailed along Eggsy’s shoulder, and down his spine as Merlin’s touch wandered south and cupped his arse._

_“Mm,” Eggsy hummed, as his husband’s hands were replaced by a set of wet, warm lips. Ones that placed big, luscious kisses to each arse cheek._

_A tongue swept along the cleft, down between his cheeks, and into his hole. Eggsy nearly jumped from the contact, but settled comfortably back down with a soft sigh. His husband was slow, as he laved his opening, and inserted his tongue just a bit._

_“Daniel,” he drawled out, and refrained from clenching his buttocks._

_A delightful shiver ran up his spine, as Merlin blew his now wet arsehole. His tongue trailed down his arse and along the taint, and over his balls._

_“Fuckin’ hell, get on with it already,” Eggsy griped, but it was a piss poor attempt because the last word came out more of a garbled mess; Merlin had sucked a ball into his mouth. “Jesus,” he croaked, as Merlin slipped a slicked finger into the tight hole and began to work him open._

_Merlin wasted no time to ensure Eggsy was ready._

_He didn’t move from his spot, as Merlin grasped his hips and guided him into position._

_“Magnificent,” Merlin approved, a set of hands smoothed up Eggsy’s exposed sides. “Ye don’t look a day over 30,” he added and slid slowly into Eggsy._

_“Mphmph,” Eggsy groaned._

_The pace Merlin set was slow, but not slow enough that Eggsy’s head wasn’t inching closer and closer to the headboard. Each thrust hit his prostate just right, and Eggsy garbled a few more noises of pleasure._

_At least that’s what he thought they were._

_“Uhhhh, Daniel, oh Christ,” Eggsy shouted, as Merlin grasped his neglected dick and gave it a few strokes. He choked on the next word he was about to say, as his orgasm coursed through him and spilled hot and wet over Merlin’s hand and onto the duvet._

_He was very thankful the kids were at his mum’s._

_Eggsy’s thighs shook from having to hold him up, and collapsed from the sheer intensity of his arousal as Merlin stilled over his body - filling him with his husband’s seed._

_They lay a tangled mess of their spend, breathing heavily as they both came down from their shared bliss._

_“I can’t move,” Eggsy moaned. “My bones have liquefied. You will have to flip me over and clean me.” His back shook as Merlin chuckled against his neck. “Get off of me,” Eggsy whined, and did a shimmy, but did nothing more than move the dick that was still in his arse._

_Merlin pressed a firm kiss to his temple, and was out and off of him; his feet echoed in the direction of the loo._

_Eggsy would have fallen asleep right there, if he wasn’t worried about drying to the sheets._

_They made quick work to clean themselves, and change the linens before crawling back in and snuggled together in a tangled mess of limbs._

_His head tipped up into the careful fingers that carded through his hair._

_“I love you,” Eggsy murmured sleepily, and was almost under before Merlin whispered an equally drowsy reply._

Till death do us part.

Eggsy had allowed the children in first. It was after midnight by the time anyone was allowed back, and it had even been an hour longer than they had first been told. He kissed each of them goodbye. Trying his best to keep a poker face, because all of theirs were red, puffy and tear streaked.

“I’ll be home at some point,” he promised, his hands cupped Rosie’s cheeks and gave her a final peck to the forehead. “I love you,” Eggsy told them, and watched them go before he wandered back.

Each step felt like his feet weighed a stone. The journey to the SICU took longer than he would have anticipated, and perhaps it was due to the blossoming fear that invaded his heart. But his heart was strong, healthy and still beating the proper beats a minute.

Something he couldn’t say definitively for his husband.

He was given Merlin’s room number, by the receptionist, at the entrance to the unit; he thanked her and followed the signs.

Eggsy took a deep breath at the door and came all the way in. He wasn’t sure what to expect, maybe that Merlin would be hooked up to more machines than he was. His skin pale, a nasal cannula in his nose providing oxygen, and when did his husband look so old? When did Merlin become so frail and feeble; he wondered.

But he was 78, and that was no longer young.

Merlin’s eyes opened, and Eggsy could see the struggle to do such a simple thing. His hazel eyes dull, lacking the usual life they once carried; Eggsy’s chest tightened.

“Hi,” he whispered, a small smile on his face as he took the hand outstretched in his direction. “What a party, yeah?” Eggsy joked, in a little attempt to lift the mood.

His husband’s answering smile was a shell of the one Merlin often wore; Eggsy wanted to cry, but he had no more tears to shed. Already having shed them all while they waited.

“Eggsy,” Merlin breathed.

It was a tired and breathy sound. Eggsy’s heart cracked, and came forward to gently cup Merlin’s cheek, as he bent in for a delicate kiss; he could taste the salt of his own tears.

“We should have had you checked,” Eggsy sobbed quietly. “I should have paid more attention. I should have -” he was stopped short with Merlin’s hand sweeping weakly over his face. Trembling fingers caught the moisture trailing down his face, and even after all of this Merlin was trying to comfort him.

“Daniel.” Eggsy scrunched his eyes shut and placed a steady palm over the shaking one on his face. His heart was breaking. Eggsy could feel it split in two.

Merlin thumbed over Eggsy’s cheekbone. “My heart,” he rasped, and it pained Eggsy more to listen to him speak. “Ye couldn’t have stopped this.” He spoke carefully, each word took effort to form.

“I could have,” Eggsy insisted stubbornly. Because Merlin had been having an issue for months, and maybe, just maybe, he could have prevented the heart attack. “Daniel, I should have made you go to the doctor.” He leaned his forehead to Merlin’s.

“It might not have helped,” Merlin informed him, regret filled his voice.

Eggsy bit his lip in hopes to halt it from wobbling, and nodded his head. “Yeah,” he agreed; his voice wet and thick.

He kept a firm hold of Merlin’s hand as he sat beside his bed. The chair here only slightly more comfortable than the others. They sat in silence for a bit. Merlin just in and out of sleep, and Eggsy was content to watch. Eggsy knew he should try to get some shut eye, but he was terrified to take his eyes off of Merlin. Too much fear consumed him, that the next time he’d open his eyes, his husband would be taken from him.

“Ye are thinking too loud,” Merlin accused tiredly, and he had slept the better part of the night away, but he sounded exhausted.

“Sorry,” Eggsy murmured, but the apology held no weight. “I can’t lose you.” His tone shook a bit. His eyes and nose burned, as tears threatened to spill down his cheeks again.

“Til death do us part,” Merlin smiled softly as he said it.

Eggsy brought the hand in his up for a tender kiss, and placed it over his chest where his heart resided, not once taking his eyes off of Merlin.

“But that day isn’t today.” Eggsy smiled back.

“It is not,” Merlin agreed.

How much longer they had together was unclear, but they had today and that was enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Again, if you choose to read, thank you <3.  
> Comments and love are always welcome.  
> All my love.


End file.
